Bellhorn04

Not enough of an overreaction. See mine about Hanigan.

Ryan Hanigan is a phenomenal game-caller, and as his .833 OPS shows, much better offensively than expected.

They punched his ticket out of town in a hurry too LOL

OTOH, the lockdown they did with Lester returned big value. Pitchers are risky plain and simple.

I don't see an extension for Buch. The team has options for EACH of 2016 and 2017. A very good deal negotiated by Theo. Hopefully Clay will be motivated this year by his financial future.

Well played.

And here's one of the best things I've ever read about the whole game-calling thing. June 8, 2007 Associated Press OAKLAND — Maybe the next time a Boston pitcher takes a no-hit bid into the ninth inning, he'll listen to catcher Jason Varitek. Curt Schilling came within one out of his first no-hitter Thursday, losing his bid when Shannon Stewart lined a clean single to right field after Schilling shook off his catcher. Schilling finished with a one-hitter as the Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics, 1-0. "We get two outs, and I was sure, and I had a plan, and I shook Tek off," Schilling said. "And I get a big 'What if?' for the rest of my life." It was not the first time a Boston pitcher shook off Varitek in the ninth inning only to see a no-hitter broken up. Pedro Martinez did it Aug. 29, 2000, against Tampa Bay, giving up a single to John Flaherty on a fastball instead of the curve that Varitek called for. Schilling said he called off Varitek between five and 10 times, saying it "was one time too many." "Hindsight is always 20/20," Varitek said. "It wasn't the first time he shook off all game. We had like a half-dozen. It doesn't really matter. He made a quality pitch. If he didn't make a quality pitch then you can second-guess." Schilling (6-2) looked to be on his way to making history when he retired Mark Kotsay and Jason Kendall on grounders to shortstop for the first two outs of the ninth. Having called fastballs to the first two batters, Varitek called for a first-pitch slider to Stewart. Schilling wanted to throw a fastball. "I was sure he was taking, and Tek was sure he was swinging," Schilling said. "And I was wrong." With a strong contingent of Red Sox fans cheering on at McAfee Coliseum, Stewart lined the first pitch through the hole between first and second for Oakland's only hit. Stewart said he was expecting the take sign when he came up, but when he was given the go-ahead to swing away, he did just that.

92 wins and the division title.

Can't we get the data on each ump's usual strike zone somewhere?

Ah yes, Erik Bedard. That went well.

We also have an occasional poster called Prune Face now.

It is, but you also have to consider that Buch hasn't thrown a pitch yet.

I thought that no one had been able to prove anything about game-calling yet.

The Game 1 matchup of Buchholz vs. Hamels is a perfect setup for massive overreaction by RSN. If Hamels pitches well and Clay doesn't, we will hear that the Sox FO were out of their minds thinking this staff was good enough, and that they blew it irrevocably not trading for Hamels. If Clay pitches well and Hamels doesn't, we will hear that the Sox FO sure knew what they were doing on both counts!

Yeesh, Mr. Objective. And if Craig's numbers last year were health-related and he bounces back? Craig's career OPS vs. LHP is .837. Nava's vs. RHP is .813. Nava's defensive ratings also improved last year.

That seems like a reasonable position.

Castillo is making approx. $2 million a month. It'll be surprising if he spends even one full month there.

Pretty sure nobody was suggesting racism had anything to do with JBJ. Two separate discussions going on there.

Sure he is. But they'll be dropping him off in Rhode Island.

Apparently Farrell has confirmed that Victorino will be the Opening Day RF. So I'd say Castillo or Nava has to be relocated by then. I'm still betting it's Castillo.

Every single one of these guys has had a very strong season within the last 3 years. Buchholz 2013 12-1 1.74 BR-WAR 4.3 Porcello 2014 15-13 3.43 BR-WAR 4.0 Miley 2012 16-11 3.33 BR-WAR 3.5 Masterson 2013 14-10 3.45 BR-WAR 3.4 Kelly 2013 10-5 2.69 BR-WAR 2.6 I realize you'd have to be the ultimate cherry-picking Pollyanna to expect them to duplicate the above in 2015. Nonetheless, these guys have all at least proven that they can be successful pitchers. And they're all relatively young. So there is at least some rationale for optimism there.

The Twins are our bitches.

What an incredible rally! 9 runs in the 9th! What a team!

Well, I'm happily married and my wife became a Red Sox fan because of me, so this doesn't pertain to me. But I would pose this hypothetical: let's say a Red Sox fan is dating a girl who is a Yankee fan unbeknownst to him. And let's say he is madly in love with her and she is smoking hot (to cover both the deep and shallow attractions). He finds out she's a Yankee fan. I think he'd be kind of a dang fool not to find a way to work around that.